Just Like Magic
by fluffy kitty of darkness
Summary: When Neville runs into a study partner at St Mungo's, he receives both a gift for his parents and a spark of friendship for himself.


The Quidditch League Forum Competition / Season 6  


Position - Captain

Team - Kenmare Kestrels

Prompt - Write about a character you've never written before.

I wrote about the sweetest HP character - Neville Longbottom - This takes place sometime during Neville's sixth year at Hogwarts. Slight!Hannah/Neville.

I'd like to thank my two most wonderful betas who deal with my constant SPaG errors and rambling when I write - Ky-chan ( _ValkyrieAce)_ and Dessie _(desertredwolf)_

* * *

"Can I get anything for you, dear?"

Neville Longbottom jumped from his perch on the waiting chairs of St Mungo's and stared at the sweet looking nurse smiling at him. It took him more than a few moments to formulate a response after getting awoken from his little sneak nap.

"No... thanks..." Neville desperately tried to remember the name of this particular nurse, who had taken her time to greet him at every visit. "Sally?"

She patted him on the arm lightly. "It's Audrey."

Neville flushed and started to apologize, but she laughed it off with a wave of her hand. "It's fine, dear. Your grandmother sent me to tell you she'll be a bit longer, okay?"

He nodded furiously, only relaxing when Audrey left him alone in the vacant waiting room again. Neville fidgeted slightly and rubbed his eyes to wake up. He hadn't even noticed that he had dozed off shortly after his grandmother left to visit one of her friends in the next floor up from his parents.

He stifled a yawn and started to make his way to his parents' room, but hesitated before entering. Eventually, Neville decided it would be better to watch from the doorway and took it upon himself to drag a plastic chair over to the doorway. He sat there for about five miserable minutes, starting to regret his decision to stay awake. There was a certain quality about watching his parents sleep that was equally comforting and disturbing, but at least it was the less painful than watching them stare at him with blank smiles.

But he felt his heart stop when a warm voice called out his name and a familiar mop of brown hair approached him. A welcomed sight he usually only saw at Hogwarts.

He scrambled up from the chair in a panic and stumbled over his words as only a sixteen-year-old boy could. "Hannah!"

The feeling settling in his stomach could only be described as the distinct sensation of dread. He slowly shuffled over to the doorframe and tried to casually lean against it, in an attempt to block the view into the room as much as possible.

"Hello, Neville," Hannah said, greeting him with a soft smile.

Hannah Abbot was one of the few Hufflepuff's that had adopted him under their wing sometime around third year, when he had stumbled — quite literally — into their study sessions at the library. Sally-Anne Perks and Susan Bones had eagerly welcomed him into their group after his expertise in Herbology had been revealed. Hannah was always the one who invited him back though.

Neville caught sight of the potted plant that she was clenching in her hands. "Are you... here to visit someone?"

"Uh, yeah..." She laughed and rambled a bit. "My uncle. He was messing around with sleeping draught potions, trying to level out the after-effects of taking them. Y'know, the endless yawning, the dozing, and all that stuff. But the potion... eh... exploded. In his face. So yeah..."

Hannah looked sheepish, but Neville was nodding along, feeling a strange connection with this mysterious uncle.

Then it hit him. "Potion Accidents are on a different floor."

She blinked. Once. Then twice. Before putting a hand to her mouth. "I'm such a _dunce._ I thought for sure I had the right floor this time. Oh!"

Neville decided not to ask what happened all the times before. But she looked so distressed that he offered timidly. "I can show you the way... if you'd like."

Her eyes brightened instantly. "Really? That would be brilliant! But..." She peered curiously around his shoulder. "Aren't you visiting someone...? I don't want to take your time. Is it family?"

He had an excuse right at the tip of his tongue. A lie that was so easy to say. Distant family was broad enough that she'd just take it and leave the discussion, but Neville found that he couldn't say it. This was Hannah. Sweet Hannah that always included him with her friends. Not a lot of people did that with him.

He couldn't lie to her.

"Yeah, my parents." Neville tried to say it as casually, but it still felt like he had dropped a small weight off of his shoulders. In short, almost hesitant answers, he explained their condition while watching the myriad of emotions pass over her pretty face. Horror, then sadness, then a vague look of determination that Neville couldn't decipher.

When he had finished, Hannah shuffled forward to give him a hug.

"Thank you for telling me, Neville."

"Uh...you're welcome." He patted her awkwardly on the back and froze when he could hear her sniffle. Crying girls were bad. Crying girls that were crying _because of him_ were very bad. He made sure to grab a few tissues when she finally stepped away.

"So... I'll take you to your floor... if you'd like." Neville offered his arm to her, just like his Gran had taught him. The answering smile he got made any awkwardness disappear from his mind, just like magic.

But the true magic started when they arrived at the correct floor.

"Neville," Hannah said softly, "I think you're very brave."

Neville was so surprised that he stumbled, much to his embarrassment. What young man worth anything would trip over nothing while walking with a pretty girl? "I'm... not." He shook his head.

Hannah rolled her eyes and gave him another smile. "Gryffindors. Your brave ideals and reckless conquests. I'll never understand it. Sometimes, you have to understand that the bravest thing is being yourself. Not jumping off of stairways or hexing Slytherins."

Neville experienced something very strange in that moment. Whether it from her words that hit so close to his heart and lack of confidence in himself, or from the caring expression on her face, he didn't know. But he did know that the pounding in his chest wasn't a normal reaction when talking to a friend.

 _Friend_.

Maybe they were best friends — Neville wasn't sure. He hadn't gotten to one of those stages before.

"Here..." Hannah was holding the potted plant out to him. "I want you to give this to your parents for me."

He protested. "But, your uncle —"

 _"Pfft,_ he'll understand. I'll tell him that I gave it to a brave boy who helped me find my way." Her eyes twinkled in amusement as she shoved it in his arms.

Neville faintly hoped that her uncle wasn't one of those overprotective sorts because telling him that would be very bad for him. But he curled his arm around the pot, feeling strangely happy that she was thinking so much of his parents.

"Thank you."

As she was walking away, he was struck by the urge to do something that was something terribly strange for him.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts! In the library!" he exclaimed awkwardly, waving furiously.

Hannah waved back and laughed.

Being himself was something that Neville had always tried very hard to be. But when he was surrounded by people that were better at magic, better at studying, and better at being brave. It was hard to believe in anyone, much less himself.

He was nowhere near believing that being himself was enough to fit in with everyone else.

But with a friend like Hannah, it might be easier to start.

With careful hands, Neville placed the plant right by his resting mother and settled down by the bed. Taking a deep breath, he spoke softly. "Hey, Mum..."

He paused.

"I told someone about you today... She gave me this to give to you and Dad. Her name is Hannah — and I really think you would like her…"


End file.
